Lesbian teacher is sacked from Catholic school for marrying girlfriend

DECCAN CHRONICLE

Published Feb 12, 2018, 12:44 pm IST

Updated Feb 12, 2018, 12:44 pm IST

A letter was sent from the school to parents, but failed to go into detail as to why Morffi was fired.

A group of around 20 parents convened on the school's campus and demanded an explanation from the principal. (Photo: Facebook/ Jocelyn Morffi )

A Lesbian teacher was fired from her Catholic school just days after marrying the "love of (her) life". Jocelyn Morffi was sacked from her first-grade teaching job at Saints Peter and Paul school, Miami, as soon as she returned from her wedding to Natasha Hass in the Florida Keys.

Morffi announced her shock news on social media, posting, “This weekend I married the love of my life and unfortunately I was terminated from my job as a result. In their eyes I'm not the right kind of Catholic for my choice in partner.”

In fact, a letter was sent from the school to parents, on Thursday, but it failed to go into detail as to why Morffi was fired.

A group of around 20 parents convened on the school's campus and demanded an explanation from the principal.

A parent Cintia Cini, who has a child in Morffi's class, told the Miami Herald: "We were extremely livid. They treated her like a criminal, they didn't even let her get her things out of her classroom. Our only concern was the way she was with our children, the way she taught our children and this woman by far was one of the best teachers out there."

While the school failed to respond to a comment, Archdiocese of Miami spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta did confirm that Morffi had been fired.

However, she wouldn't give any further explanation other than Morffi breakng her contract.

Agosta asserted that policy prohibits the discussion of personnel matters.

She went on to add that as a teacher in a Catholic school their responsibility is partly for the spiritual growth of the children.

"One has to understand that in any corporation, institution or organization there are policies and procedures and teachings and traditions that are adhered to. If something along the way does not continue to stay within that contract, then we have no other choice,” she added.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski released a memo, following Florida's lift on same sex marriage in 2015, that placed emphasis on the city's policy.

As church representatives, all employees are to abide by Catholic teachings, the memo explained.